Got a new Wells cv3015 (9.5X) and tested before/while installing. The pod doesn't hold a vacuum. Loses about 1 point per every 3 seconds when the vacuum is high (25 in/mg)and then begins to lose at a slower rate when it gets around 10 in/mg. Verified with 2 hand vacuum machines. The old pod, however, holds a constant vacuum and no leaks. Did I get a bad pod? are the new ones designed to leak ever so slowly?? Thanks for your help!

Sounds defective to me.........

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Thanks, I thought so.

I bought a second new identical pod and it does the same thing. It does not hold a vacuum. It acts the same way as the first one. I ruled out a defective vacuum pump/rubber hose with another pod ( old rusty one...lol )which does hold a vacuum. Are these new ones supposed to bleed down like this so the timing returns to initial or there abouts when the throttle is closed....i'm not doubting you ems just trying to figure out how these things work. Right now I have a variable pod timing...lol

I've never been impressed with the "quality" of Wells' stuff.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks Dan, which one should I get?

Probably a new old stock one; I dont' guess anyone's box is as likely to contain a decent quality vacuum advance these days as in yesteryear, though if you wish to try, a Standard Ignition or Echlin item would be worth checking out.

What year/type distributor are you working with?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I called my Napa and they have an echlin coming in. I recurved the distributor again yesterday (changed both springs this time and had the governor modified) in my '72 Valiant with guidance/advise from this site and the car has improved significantly. Yup, I'm still using points for now. I reinstalled my original vacuum pod which is a 6.5X and want to use a 9.5X and can't believe (yes I can) that I got 2 bad new ones.
I was able to 1/4 mile the car friday night and got 17.6@77mph with the super 6 setup it feels stronger after yesterdays recurve so who knows if I will make the track before this season is over but I hope to. Thxs again for the advice, nick

Gargh. Still running points? Why? That's holding you way farther back than any difference you might make with this vs. that vs. some other vacuum advance.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

No no no, not expecting any difference at the track with the new pod. Simply, when I rebuilt/recurved the distributor I took the opportunity to install a new (assumed good) vacuum advance pod with a little more timing built into it for the benefit on the street. I intend to go back EI at some point. I don't think I will use the Pertronix that I was using before but good old Mopar or HEI. In the interim the points setup will do.

I'm not sure who's making these at the moment, but SMP/Wells and a couple off brands have all been stamped on the body with a letter number combination, and wihtout the box you can't tell the SMP version from the Wells version, sadly. If you get an old stock SMP VC-239 pod the arm will be stamped 11x, the new ones in SMP boxes and Wells versions all have an ink tag of AH-11, and now have 8.5R arms on them...the VC-208 pod still is an 11X thank god...but I suspect the SMP guys are buying the same pods that Wells buys and dumping them in an SMP box and marking it up $3-5 at the register.

You might try Echlin at this rate...

The 9.5 if adjusted right should get you a bit more highway mileage if everything is dialed in right, but EI will lock it in solid.

-D.Idiot

Thanks DI,
Both of mine are in a Wells box CV3015, have 9.5 stamped on the arm and AG11 inked on the body of the can. I have an Echlin VC3015 enroute and it's @$20 dollars. Figured it was a step in the right direction from the stock 6.5X. The defective ones are being returned. Thanks for your input and Dan's also.

AH-# are EI and the arm bends in one direction and the AG-# are the points/bend in the other/kinda like the small block cans- direction.

Just sad to see that parts for our old cars are not exactly getting middle shelf quality anymore, at best.

-D.Idiot

DI,
Thanks for the explanation. I am collecting bits for the future EI conversion down the road and I have a crane cams vacuum advance kit 99604-1 that comes with the "AH" (inked AH8) style arm and is stamped 11R.
It has been an education for sure!

Just sad to see that parts for our old cars are not exactly getting middle shelf quality anymore, at best.

-D.Idiot[/quote]

Yup, seems like these are foreign cars now...lol